Han Li slightly narrowed his eyes, gazing upward at the lofty white jade palace. After a moment's thought, his light flashed, and before he had truly approached the palace, the figures above had already detected his presence. Immediately, several dozen green-armored soldiers emerged from above, led by a golden-armored celestial guard, who carefully approached. "May I inquire if you are Master Han?" After swiftly scanning Han Li's face, the golden-armored officer halted his flight, bowed respectfully, and asked. "Indeed, I am Han. You may lead the way ahead." Han Li drew back his light, appearing calm and composed. "Yes, Master, please follow us!" The golden-armored officer stepped aside, speaking with due courtesy. The other soldiers respectfully parted to either side, standing at attention behind him. Han Li made no formalities and, accompanied by these soldiers, proceeded directly toward a grand platform within the palace. On this platform, Master Jin Yue and several elders of Tianyuan City who had previously met with Han Li were gazing downward toward the direction of the demonic forces outside the city. But as soon as they saw Han Li approaching, they immediately smiled and exchanged greetings. "Friend Han, you've finally arrived. This time the demonic forces have come with great momentum—quite different from last time's demonic calamity. It seems the rumors are indeed true!" Master Jin Yue, being the most familiar with Han Li, spoke with genuine concern after uttering a Buddhist chant. "How so? Hasn't there been a significant number of high-ranking demonic warriors?" Han Li felt a sense of urgency in his mind, yet remained composed on his face and asked. "The full picture, Friend, you'll see just by looking in that direction," Master Jin Yue said, pointing toward the distant horizon. Han Li's eyebrows lifted slightly, said nothing, and followed the same gaze. From this elevated vantage point, the scenes beyond the city walls—previously obscured—now came clearly into view. To the south of the city wall, stretching for dozens of miles, the landscape was dominated by countless fierce beasts—some exhaling mist, others roaring incessantly—so numerous that one could hardly help but feel a creeping sense of unease. At the very heart of this throng, five colossal creatures, each resembling mountain ranges, were half-reclined upon the ground, their solemn, eerie gazes fixed upon the city of Tianyuan. Among them stood a great red ape, two massive white giant snails, a black giant bird with steel-like wings and a sharp, gleaming beak, and a triple-headed purple serpent. Around these five titans, the other beasts kept at a respectful distance, clearly awed by their presence. Yet, compared to these five magnificent creatures, Han Li was more attentive to the figures drifting through the air above them—distinctly humanoid in appearance, yet radiating an intense aura of magic. There were thousands of such figures, each displaying a power level of either *Hua Shen* or *Lian Xu*, forming a truly formidable force. "Hmm, these people are..." Han Li's eyes flashed, and he vaguely recalled something, yet remained somewhat doubtful. "If our elders haven't mistaken, these should all be original human cultivators who flew up from the lower human realms to the True Demon Realm. However, having adopted demon cultivation techniques as their primary practice and being gradually corrupted by demon qi over such a long period, they no longer truly belong to their own people." The white-robed Gu Elder sighed and replied. "In past invasions by the Demon Clan, these demon-human cultivators never once appeared on the front lines of our battles. It seems this current Demon Calamity is truly unprecedented—perhaps the Demon Clan has truly resolved to launch a decisive invasion, and even they have been summoned." The silver-masked Lady Yin Guang, still maintaining her serious demeanor, spoke slowly. "Indeed, these people are quite troublesome. Yet, relative to them, I am more curious about the whereabouts of the high-ranking Demon Clan cultivators currently in charge of Tianyuan City." Han Li gazed at these magical beings for a while, then suddenly furrowed his brow and asked, "The higher-ranked magical races have been hiding within the magical aura. They were even visible a moment ago, but now they've all withdrawn once again. It seems they intend to rest and consolidate their strength before launching an assault on our city." Jin Yue, the Zen master, interjected and replied. "Have you seen any magical beings of the Saint-Founder rank?" Han Li immediately followed up with a serious expression. "The Saint-Founder rank has not yet been detected, though among the higher-ranked beings that appeared recently, there are indeed several at the Consolidation stage. Given the scale of their presence, it's highly likely that more such beings exist. However, the magical realm has only just begun to infiltrate the spiritual realm, and the interface force remains very strong. The Saint-Founder's true form has not yet been able to cross over. Even if one appears, it will likely only be a manifestation." After a moment's hesitation, Jin Yue expressed his assessment. "Should we merely assume a temporary form, the preparations of Tianyuan City should be more than sufficient," said Han Li, his expression easing slightly and speaking with a relaxed tone. "I hope so. What we're currently seeing is only a fraction of the magical race's forces. These lower-tier beast warriors are merely the initial wave—mere cannon fodder. The true ancient mages and the elite magical troops have yet to appear," remarked Elder Gu, the white-robed elder who had personally endured the last magical calamity and remained deeply concerned. "At this point, we can only take things one step at a time. Tianyuan City's defenses are among the strongest among all human settlements. If even we cannot withstand the magical forces' assault, what hope would remain for the other cities? Moreover, according to earlier intelligence, Ling Huang City is the primary target of the magical forces, with the number of troops reportedly several times greater than what we have seen here." The silver-clad maiden scoffed. "That's quite accurate." Though the demonic forces have come with great might, as long as we stand united and work in harmony, we are confident we can overcome this crisis. Merely our array of defensive spells, wards, and fortifications stationed at the outer perimeter should be sufficient to eliminate half the魔兽. At this moment, Master Jin Yue breaks into a warm smile. "That's true! The city of Tianyuan has always been capable of withstanding attacks from allied foreign forces. After our special preparations spanning nearly a thousand years, I truly don't see how it could fail against the demonic onslaught." The tall, cloaked man, who had remained silent until now, speaks with a cold, steady voice, clearly confident in the city's defenses. Listening to the discussions of his fellow cultivators at the combined stage, Han Lin smiles gently, yet his eyes flash with blue light, continuously scanning the distant expanse of magical aura. Clearly, these auras are no ordinary phenomena—his spiritual sight, though only penetrating a short distance, quickly blurs and fails to reveal any clear details. Only faintly visible were various flying vehicles resembling warships or chariots, scattered throughout, with some soldiers intermingled among them. As Han Li's eyes flashed with a cold gleam, he was about to draw upon the inner qi to fully unleash his Spirit-Eye technique and see what else might be revealed, when suddenly a piercing gaze emerged from deep within the dark magical aura, locking directly onto him—and at an astonishing speed, it followed his line of sight, reaching all the way to his own body. Han Li was taken aback, instantly cutting off the Spirit-Eye technique, his expression growing somber. At the same time, on a massive beast-carriage deep within the magical aura, a soft "Ah!" of surprise was heard. An elderly, slender man dressed in green robes and with a head of yellow hair gently withdrew a certain technique as his eyes' crimson glow faded. "What's going on? Has the Green Elder spotted something interesting with his Spirit-Eye?" asked the other man, a broad-shouldered, purple-armored figure with a face marked by black spots, who stood beside him, chuckling. "No, merely that the human faction seems to have a high-ranking cultivator with the divine sight technique as well—she just startled me earlier." The elder replied calmly. "Oh, likewise possessing divine sight. Then our arrangements must have been fully visible to them." The purple-armored man was startled and quickly asked. "Master Shi, please rest assured. I've already deployed a subtle seal using the Mixed Demon Banner bestowed by the Saint Ancestor within the magical aura. Even if that cultivator's divine sight is exceptional, she won't be able to perceive much. However, it appears that they too have established an equally powerful concealment seal—thus, I'm unable to discern the defensive measures within the city." The green-robed elder shook his head. "Never mind. As long as we haven't revealed our true intentions, we're good. After all, our mission is merely to probe the city's defenses. Honestly, our luck is quite good—our chosen location turns out to be such a substantial prize. If we manage to seize this place, the rewards will be immense." "The purple-armored magical race spoke, their eyes gleaming subtly. 'Heh, Master Stone, don't underestimate this city. According to the captured human commoners, this is a grand city housing the elite forces of both human and spirit clans. Even if we succeed, the casualties will surely be substantial.'" The elder in green robes frowned slightly. "After all, it's a sacred ritual—some casualties among the clans are entirely expected. As for the strategy to capture this city, it will be carefully planned by the Holy Ancestor. Our role is simply to carry out the orders. It's time to begin the assault. Though we don't expect to take the city in one go, we must at least probe its main defenses." The purple-armored magical race seemed unconcerned, and finally waved his hand to conclude. "This mission will be led by Master Stone. Since you've deemed it time to begin, let us proceed." The elder in green robes said nothing further, merely nodded slightly. The Purple-Jacketed Mage, seeing no opposition from his companions, immediately flashed a look of excitement in his eyes. With a fierce laugh directed at Tianyuan City, he suddenly flipped his hand, and instantly a row of dark, slender flags appeared in his grasp. Each flag, no larger than seven or eight inches, bore distinct, otherworldly patterns and emitted a pure, concentrated surge of magical energy. The Mage then pressed a seal with his hand, lightly touching two of the flags. A sharp "whoosh" and "whoosh" echoed as the two flags vanished mid-air. At that moment, the great army of beasts beneath the ground stirred violently among the two leading groups. Soon after, two distinct, thunderous roars erupted. The two beast groups immediately flashed fierce glares and began advancing steadily toward Tianyuan City. Meanwhile, in the sky palace above Tianyuan City, Elder Gu in white robes observed the scene, his expression growing serious. He quickly issued orders to the nearby guards: "Two-headed Magi Lizards and Venomous Magi Insects!" Have the defenders at the front take extra care. — Chapter Ten: The War Against the Magic Realm, The Human-Monster Conflict (II) "Yes, Elder," a golden guard nearby, who had been hesitating, immediately responded and swiftly moved, transforming into a streak of light to relay the message downward. "The dual-headed lizard—specifically, the creature capable of wielding both wind and fire attacks, one of the top ten legendary beasts of the Magic Realm—correct?" "Yes, that's exactly it. Though this dual-headed monster is only of a lower rank, equivalent to a cultivator at the Qi-Refinement stage, its numbers are truly staggering. It's said that in the native Magic Realm, their population reaches into the millions. This time, as the monster race breaches the boundary, they won't be able to bring all of them along, but even a fraction would present a significant challenge. As for the toxic maggot insects, they are equally troublesome. The venom they emit not only inflicts serious damage on lower-level cultivators but also corrodes the city walls over time." Master Gu replied solemnly with two sentences. "However, since the magical beasts are being cultivated, I'm sure the people below will also know how to respond. Brother Gu, there's no need for you to worry so much." Master Jin Yue nodded, speaking with calm composure. "I hope so!" Master Gu sighed lightly and then turned his gaze once again toward the battlefield beyond. Surrounding the eastern side of Tianyuan City were thousands of massive fortresses, each towering over a hundred zhang in height, housing hundreds of human cultivators who tightly protected the city behind them. Between these fortresses, subtle fluctuations of magical seals could be seen shimmering faintly—clearly indicating some deeper strategy at work. Without first eliminating these human defenses, the demonic forces could not directly assault the city's walls. This is also the reason why the magical race brings so many beast-warriors as expendable forces—after repeatedly invading the human realms, they have accumulated considerable knowledge of effective strategies to counter human great cities. Combined, the two groups of beasts in the distance number no less than thirty or forty thousand. Among them, the large, robust double-headed lizards account for over two-thirds. The toxic liquid mages, appearing like towering, lush green silkworms, are notably stout—twice the size of the double-headed lizards—yet they keep pace with the lizards without any lag. Behind these beast groups, a number of high-ranking magical warriors in black armor have appeared without prior notice, moving steadily and purposefully behind the beasts, as if overseeing the advance. Within moments, the entire force of tens of thousands of beasts had advanced only a dozen li from the human fortress. Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from the midst of the beast herd, causing the two-headed dragon lizard, which had merely been running, to have its eyes blaze crimson in response. In unison with the roar, the entire herd surged into a full gallop. The venomous magic insects intermingled among them flashed a shimmer of jade light, and from within their bodies, two translucent wing pairs instantly unfolded. As these wings vibrated, the insects rose into the air, soaring with equal vigor to the fully galloping two-headed dragon lizards. Thousands of beasts surged forward, appearing from afar like a vast army of charging horses. Covering a distance of over ten miles seemed but a fleeting moment—within an instant, they reached their destination. At the same time, a high-ranking magical being in the sky cast a spell, sending a surge of dark magical energy spiraling downward, where it coalesced into a great black dragon that plunged into the midst of the herd and burst into splendor. The once clearly visible beasts gradually blurred and became indistinct amid the surging wave of magical energy. At the very next moment, as the magical aura seemed to be only a few li away from the fortress, a sudden burst of "puff-puff" sounds erupted, and countless fire balls and wind blades surged forth from within, rushing in a deluge toward the multitude of fortresses ahead. Such an overwhelming force would absolutely render even the fortified fortresses incapable of withstanding such an assault. Many human cultivators within the fortresses immediately grew pale at the sight. Yet at this very instant, a clear, ethereal melody suddenly resonated from the White Jade Palace above Tianyuan City. Then, from the golden mirror atop the high structure, it trembled and suddenly erupted, spewing forth a golden beam of light that spread out and transformed into a shimmering golden veil, shielding the fortresses ahead. In an instant, the countless fire balls and wind blades, rushing in like a storm of explosions, struck this golden veil and burst into fragments. At once, a roar of sound surged forth, with dense clusters of red and white light emerging on the luminous screen. Combined with the power of wind and flame, the spectacle intensified severalfold, causing the surrounding celestial and terrestrial energies to tremble as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth splitting apart. High-ranking beings from both human and demon clans gazed in solemn awe. When all the lights subsided, the golden luminous screen appeared once more, intact and undamaged—despite its seemingly fragile appearance, it had sustained no harm at all. Several high-ranking demon beings in the sky naturally reacted with mild surprise. Yet the cultivators from the City of Heaven and Earth, such as Jin Yue, did not appear overly surprised. Even the Silver Immortal lightly smiled and addressed the white-robed elder: "Master Gu, your Golden Xu Mirror has truly grown more extraordinary. Though its power is indeed enabled by the vast spiritual energy of the Heavenly Treasure Temple, the fact that a mere beam of light has successfully repelled the earlier attacks from the beast-wild creatures shows that your over a thousand years of careful cultivation have not been in vain." "My Mirror was originally among the top-tier transcendental treasures on the Chaotic Ten-Thousand Spirits List. Even without my dedicated cultivation, the current assault would have been nothing to it. I'm eager to see how the demonic race will manage to breach this defense." Master Gu responded with a modest smile. Hearing this, Han Li, standing nearby, glanced at the mirror behind him with a subtle expression of interest. At that moment, the surface of the mirror shone brilliantly golden, and a golden column of light, as thick as a large bowl, still surged forth from its center, connecting seamlessly with the golden light curtain that stretched across half the void beyond. And as Han Li diverted his attention, the magical aura had already drawn within a few li of the various fortresses. Though obscured by the surging waves of magic, the cultivators inside could still clearly see the fierce faces of the monstrous beasts. Everyone's hearts leapt with anticipation. The monks within the fortress, witnessing this scene, naturally would not rest. They immediately chanted incantations and recited spells, some rapidly tapping their fingers on their magical artifacts. The power of thousands of artifacts surged dramatically, linking together to form a resplendent, shimmering aura that pressed relentlessly downward. For a moment, the wind and fire giant forces were forced back, nearly overwhelmed and on the verge of being pierced through. Only a few hundred relics remained, still bustling left and right within the green mist as if nothing were amiss. "Wait—that wasn't the usual toxic-liquid insects. The ordinary toxic-liquid insects don't possess the ability to contaminate relics." Elder Gu, standing on the elevated platform, was now somewhat astonished. Others were also slightly startled internally, yet maintained composure on their faces; these successive developments still hadn't truly unsettled the combined-stage cultivators. Meanwhile, within the massive beast-carriage of swirling dark magic high above, the purple-armored man burst into laughter and turned proudly toward the green-robed elder, saying, "Green Elder, the human faction has indeed been fooled. They genuinely believed those mutated insects to be ordinary toxic-liquid ones—and they've taken a real hit. Unfortunately, these mutated insects are still too few in number, and their toxicity only affects relics at the mid-tier and below. If they had remained in reserve, they might have produced a remarkable effect instead." "The green-robed elder smiled as he spoke, yet his words carried a touch of regret. 'Hehe, how difficult it is to find mutated beasts! To accidentally capture such a group of mutated magical insects is already quite fortunate. Moreover, these beasts are merely the leftovers—truly to subdue this city, we still have to rely on ourselves.' The purple-armored mage chuckled carelessly. 'Nevertheless, these mutated insects seem particularly effective against the bamboo-style array. Perhaps they can bring us some unexpected surprises!' The elder nodded in agreement. 'Indeed, that's quite possible,' the purple-armored man said, glancing toward the distant fortresses. 'With such a sense of anticipation.' At that moment, upon seeing the connection between their spiritual awareness and the artifacts severed, the cultivators within the dozens of fortresses felt deep sorrow and, naturally, dared not activate a second artifact to face the enemy. Instead, under the instructions of a Jiadian cultivator, they suddenly stood upon certain array maps that had been inscribed on the fortress long before. Then, with a single hand motion, each of them manifested an array disk. Supported by the Jiadian cultivator, these disciples chanted continuously, their bodies glowing with luminous energy as they rapidly poured their spiritual power into the disks. Meanwhile, the Jiadian cultivator, with both hands continuously forming gestures, gradually closed his eyes. In an instant, the magical arrays beneath the disciples' feet began to glow brightly, emitting a deep, resonant hum. A luminous orb of five colors began to form at the center of the array and spun rapidly... At the same time, outside the fortress, free from the obstruction of the magical instruments, the wind and fire power expelled by the dual-headed dragon lizard transformed into a cascade of red and white light, directly striking the golden light screen and producing another series of thunderous sounds. Among the light cascades, a number of thousands of green threads also quietly surged toward the screen. (Hehe, I'd like to recommend my fellow from Xuzhou, Shi Zhangyu's "Medical Way and Official Journey." Zhang Yizhens dies a tragic death. Though his martial arts skills have reached the highest level, he first drinks the poisoned wine prepared by Sui Yan Di, then is pierced by arrows from a thousand Imperial Guard soldiers, all aimed at his heart. The reason? He saved the Empress, who was in labor and in danger, without charging any fee. Thus, he feels deeply unjust. Having done such a good deed and saved two lives—his own and the Empress’s—he ends up with such a tragic fate, truly a case of timeless injustice. Later scientific research confirms that resentment can transcend time and space, a phenomenon known as "resentment soaring through the heavens." Thus, Zhang Yizhen becomes one of the countless individuals who have achieved such a transcendent journey—very fortunately, he has successfully made the transition. (To be continued) ------------ Volume Ten: The War Against the Demon Realm The Human-Demon Conflict (III) The golden light screen remains steadfast despite its bursting, yet flashes wildly under the relentless erosion of green mist. Though the flashes are slow and gradual, it is clearly showing a steady The silver orbs flashed and vanished one after another at the center of the formation. At the very next moment, space rippled tens of zhang above the fortress, and the silver orbs emerged, spinning steadily, then burst into a series of sharp crackling sounds. Waves of silver electric arcs surged forth, coalescing into vast networks of electrified grids that surged toward the opposing forces. Whether fireballs or gusts of wind blades, or wisps of green mist—upon touching the grids, they were instantly torn apart and shattered by the electric light, reduced to nothing amidst the thunderous roar. Then, in a sudden flash, they transformed into countless silver serpents, settling into the magical aura. A continuous series of thunderous booms rolled on, as the silver arcs intertwined and then exploded in succession. Despite their frantic darting and evading, the two types of beasts suffered heavy casualties; many maglizards and toxic insects turned to ash the very instant they were struck by the electric arcs. However, the魔兽 injured by the arc blast waves proved far more numerous—many lay broken in the magical aura, their bodies shattered, moaning continuously. Though the remaining魔兽 still launched wave after wave of attacks, they could not in the short time make headway against the golden barrier. On the contrary, the luminous spheres appearing above the fortress emitted silver arcs one after another, growing increasingly fierce. Within moments, nearly half of the two types of魔兽 were severely damaged. Observing this from afar, the purple-armored magical race in the sky grew pale, then immediately raised a single hand. Two of the small flags floating before him trembled and were swiftly grasped into his hands; with a firm press, they dissolved into two plumes of green mist. Then, with a simple flick of his finger, the remaining flags began to hum softly and, one by one, trembled with increasing intensity. Two massive white giant snails lying motionless among the horde of creatures suddenly emitted a brilliant glow, raising their two great tentacles skyward. A deep, bull-like roar burst from their mouths, and two beams of pale light shot forth, vanishing instantly upon impact—hitting the golden light shield with tremendous force. The shield, which had previously stood as steady as a mountain, seemed as though two stones had been dropped into a still lake, rippling outward in concentric waves. Within a moment, it trembled and was pierced through by the light beams. Dozens of fortresses behind the shield, along with the cultivators within, were instantly reduced to ash, completely unprepared and offering no resistance. Moreover, the vast horde of creatures stationed behind the shield stirred into agitation, and finally, in response to the roar, began to gallop forward—racing toward the city of Tianyuan. The magical beings floating in the upper air also flashed with a shimmer of luminous light at this moment, gradually rising forward. From their bodies, either clusters of dark glows or surges of magical energy erupted, creating an astonishing display of power. In the higher layers of the magical mist, thunderous drumming and gongs resounded, and a hundred sleek, dark, gleaming flying chariots burst forth. Each chariot bore several, or even a dozen, high-ranking magical beings clad in various magical armor, their faces grim and fierce, wielding long spears and halberds, their expressions charged with intensity. After a series of careful probes, the demonic forces finally launched their genuine assault. The elders on the high platform, including Gu, could not help but furrow their brows. The number of elite demons now appearing was far fewer than they had anticipated—dramatically at odds with the accounts of their fierce initial attacks during past demonic invasions. Although the beasts themselves were exceptionally formidable, relying solely on this strength to capture the Tianyuan City seemed utterly unrealistic. As the army of beasts advanced, bearing down upon the dense showers of silver electric serpents falling from the opposing ranks, they charged directly toward the golden barrier with no concern for damage. Some summoned their innate powers to strike, while others, armored and sturdy, simply charged headlong into the barrier. Meanwhile, the aerial demon warriors activated their magical devices, transforming into various magical clouds to absorb and deflect the falling electric arcs, thereby minimizing the damage to the ground troops. The magical war chariots carrying the demonic soldiers, however, halted十余 miles beyond the luminous barrier and immediately began launching attacks with their weapons. Waves of dark, long-hued streaks shot forth from the chariots, swiftly converging upon the golden barrier. Within moments, the battlefield erupted into a thunderous clamor of cries and battle cries. "Jin Yue, the Zen master, exhaled deeply and nodded gently to Han Li, as if he were not at all pleased by the unfavorable situation of the demonic forces' current assault. "Indeed! If the demonic forces had launched a full-scale attack from the very beginning, I would have felt even more confident. Under the present circumstances, however, we must remain vigilant. Though we are the city's foremost combat forces, each of us has other responsibilities that cannot be entirely absorbed by constant defense against the demons' intermittent attacks. Here's what I propose: as long as the demons do not mount a full-scale assault on the city, we will take turns rotating to oversee these sporadic incursions. Han, as you are not a member of the city's council and thus less familiar with its personnel and defenses, you need not participate in the rotation. However, should the city face a genuine crisis, I sincerely hope you will lend us your full support." After a brief pause, Elder Gu had thought through a clear strategy. "Elder Gu's plan is excellent!" "And I have no objections either." The others heard this and readily agreed. Han Li also nodded his assent. Thus, even as the distant魔兽 attacks remained fiercely intense, Han Li raised both palms, transforming into a streak of azure light and departed. Soon after, Jin Yue, Yin Guang, and the others also left the White Jade Palace. In a short while, only Guo the Elder and the bearded man dressed in leather robes remained—the two elders from Tianyuan City: "Guo brother, shall we simply stand by and watch all this unfold, passively? That would indeed be unsatisfactory. Moreover, the protective shield formed by Jin Xu's Sacred Mirror has endured such powerful assaults and has consumed an enormous amount of spiritual stones," the previously silent man in black robes, gazing at the battlefield where thunderous clashes echoed continuously, asked coldly. "Hmph. Brother Bao, do not worry." These demonic troops have been treating these wild beasts as expendable pawns, merely testing our city's defensive capabilities. I can't allow them to be disappointed—then I'll deploy the Seven-Star Pure Flame Array to give them a proper showing. It will also boost our morale and dampen their spirits.» Upon hearing this, Elder Gu's gaze flickered, and he emitted a sharp sigh. «The Seven-Star Pure Flame Array! If we truly activate it, this is one of our city's signature strengths. To reveal it now, at this moment, seems rather premature.» At this, the cloaked gentleman was taken aback, hesitating. «No matter. I'll only unleash one-tenth of the full power of this array. This way, the demons will witness a formidable display without exposing the array's true might. Perhaps this will even mislead the leading demonic commanders, yielding a favorable outcome.» Elder Gu waved his hand, speaking with confidence. «Indeed, your reasoning is sound. Then let us follow your suggestion.» After a moment's thoughtful consideration, the cloaked man also felt that there was no issue and solemnly nodded his agreement. With the two remaining cultivators at the Consolidated Stage reaching a mutual consensus, their instructions were promptly issued, encountering no further resistance. Deep within a secret chamber beneath a towering crimson spire in the city of Tianyuan, seven white-haired elders dressed in crimson robes sat at various points on a pale golden array, meditating with closed eyes. Their bodies radiated a steady surge of heat, indicating that all seven were primarily adept in the Fire discipline, and from the strength of their spiritual pressure, each possessed remarkable achievements at the Liangxi stage. Suddenly, a clear chime of a bronze bell resonated from the most aged of the elders. As the wrinkles on his face shifted, his eyes instantly opened, now glowing a deep crimson, as if flames were swirling within them. With a single hand motion, he suddenly produced a white circular disc. After briefly glancing at it, his eyes widened suddenly. "Begin to awaken the great array; all that is needed is to stir the refined fire power of one-tenth of the seven stars." The elder spoke solemnly. "Yes, brother!" The other six elders, upon hearing this, opened their eyes and responded in unison.